Christ Crucified, Sermon 43
SERMON XLIII.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſe 11. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their iniquities.
THis is a great Work that the Mediator hath to do; a great Price that He hath to lay down for the ſatisfying of Divine Juſtice, and for redeeming of the loſt Elect: Now, what ſhall He have for all the travell of His Soul; Here it is anſwered, and the Terms of the Covenant of Redemption again compended; as for the Effects and Fruits of His Death, ſpoken of in the cloſe of the former Verſe, He ſhal prolong his days, That being ſpoken to, on the matter: from Verſe 8. And the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. Being ſpoken to, by another lately, in your hearing, and in part by us, John 17.4. And from verſe 10. Now read over again; we ſhall forbear further ſpeaking to them, and come to that which follows in the 11. Verſe.
In this Verſe then, There are theſe three. 1. An offer and promiſe made to the Mediator; That if He will accept of the propoſall, and lay down His Life for Redeeming of the loſt Elect; it ſhall not be fruitleſs, He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied. 2. The way how this ſatisfaction ſhall be brought about; By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many. That is, by Faith in Him, His Purchaſe ſhall be applyed to all theſe for whom He ſhould ſuffer, who thereby ſhould be juſtified. 3. The ground of this, which alſo ſhews the way, how He ſhall juſtifie many; For he ſhall bear their iniquities, That is, by His undertaking, and paying of their Debt, He ſhould meritoriouſly procure their Abſolution, and the ſetting of them free. In the firſt part, we have theſe three things implyed. 1. A ſuppoſed condition, or reſtipulation on the Mediator's ſide; That His Soul ſhall be put to travell, which expreſſes both the Nature of His Sufferings, that they ſhall not only be Bodily, but alſo, and mainly, Soul-ſufferings, and Conflicts with the Wrath of God; which the Elect's ſins deſerved, as the main and principall thing Articled, and that wherein the Price of their Redemption lay; And the Greatneſs, and Extremity of His Sufferings, here called Travell, from the ſimilitude of a Woman in Travell, and the Travell of his Soul; This being the way foretold, how Chriſt ſhould be uſed; He ſhould Travell in His Sufferings, to procure Life to His People. 2. A Promiſe made to Him; That He ſhall ſee the travell of his ſoul, That is, He ſhall not bring forth wind, but ſhall have a large Off ſpring, which in the 2d. part of the verſe, is called a Juſtifying of many by his knowledge; This is the Fruit He ſhall have of His Soul-travel. 3. The extent of this, which is His being Satisfied, and quiet; Which looks to two things. 1. To the certain and infallible ſucceſs of His Sufferings; Not one of the Elect ſhall be amiſſing; None that He hath bought Life to ſhall want it, He ſhall get as many Juſtified and Saved, as He conditioned for. 2. To the great delight, and complacencie that our Lord hath, in performing the Work of Redemption, and in Sinners getting the benefit of it; He ſhall think all well beſtowed when they come to get the Application thereof, and by Faith in Him to be Juſtified. From the firſt of theſe, Obſerve That the Mediator, in performing the Work of Redemption, and in ſatisfying the Juſtice of God, for the Debt of Elect Sinners; was not only put to Externall and Bodily, but alſo and mainly, to Inward, Spirituall, and Soul-ſufferings; Or the Redeeming of loſt Sinners coſt our Lord Jeſus much Soul-travell and Suffering; we have hinted at His Sufferings often before, but this place eſpecially, ſpeaks out His Soul-ſufferings, and the Inward Anguiſh, and Agony that He was brought under; We ſhall therefore ſpeak alittle to this, it being moſt uſeful, and extenſive in the Fruits and Benefits of it to the People of God; And ſhall 1. confirm it by ſome places in the Goſpel, where we have the fulfilling of this Propheſie clearly holden out to us; And 2dly. By a fourfold Reaſon: Only take this for an advertiſement, that when we ſpeak of the Soul-ſufferings of Our Lord, we do no mean of any Sufferings after Death (as Papiſts falſly calumniat us) but of theſe Sufferings, eſpecially that were about the time of His Paſſion, when He got the full Cup of the Fathers Wrath put in His hand towards His approaching to the Croſs, and when He was upon it, when He was araigned, and when He was exacted upon, for the Elect's Debt: The firſt paſſage to confirm it, is that of John 12.27. Now is my ſoul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this hour; Here His Soul-ſuff…rings begin clearly to ſhew themſelves when there was no Croſs, nor Suffering in His Body, yet He is put to ſuch a pinch, conſidered as Man, that He is, in a manner, non-pluſſed, and put to ſay, what ſhall I ſay; the horror of that which was begun, and was further coming on Him, being beyond all expreſſion, whereupon follows that prayer, Father, ſave me from this hour; His Sinle…s Humane Nature ſcarring ſome way to enter on it. The 2d. paſſage is that of John 13.21. where it's ſaid, That He began to be troubled in ſpirit and testified, &c. But let us come forward, and put Matthew Mark, and Luke together, and we ſhall ſee what an inexpreſſible and unconceivable, hight and heap of ſorrows, His Soul-trouble and travell will amount to; Matthew ſayes, Chap. 26.37, 38. That He began to be ſorrowful, and very heavy; And in the next words, my ſoul is exceeding ſorrowfull, even unto death; and what made Him ſo ſorrowfull? The next words, Father, if it be poſſible let this cup paſſe from me, ſhew that it was the Cup of His Fathers Wrathfull Juſtice put in His hand; Mark ſayes, Chap. 14.33. Thar when He came to the Garden, He began to be ſore amazed, and very heavy: A wonderfull expreſſion to be uſed of the Son of God; that the Perſon that was God ſhould be amazed, yet being conſidered as Man he was ſo; Luke ſayes, Chap. 22.44. That being in an agony, he prayed more earneſtly; There is a ſore Exerciſe and ſad Soul-travell indeed, when the Sword of Gods Juſtice awaked againſt the Man that was Gods fellow; and when He hath the Curſe that was due to all the Elect, to encounter and meet with; This was ſuch a Combat, the like whereof was never in the World, And the effect of it is; His ſweat as great drops of blood falling down to the ground; when there was no hand of Man ſtirring Him, nor any Man to trouble Him by Him; but God as a ſevere, and holily rigid exactor, puting Him to pay the Debt, which He had undertaken to pay, according to His Obligation; The inward preſſour of His Soul preſſeth great drops of Blood from His Body: And if we will yet look a little forward, to Math. 27.46. we will find Him brought to that extremity on the Croſs, that He cryes, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Which though it ſay that there was ſtill Faith in the Mediator, in adhering to the Father as His God; yet it ſets out that great horrour which He had inwardly to wreſtle with; when there was ſome reſtraint on the ſenſibly comforting influence of the God-head: Now when all the Evangeliſts concur ſo maſſilie, emphatically, and ſignificantly to expreſs this, wealing out, and pitching upon ſuch weighty Words to ſet it forth by; We may ſee it to be deſignedly holden forth, as a ſpeciall Truth, th…t the Faith of the People of God may be ſtrongly confirmed therein.
To confirm it yet further, put theſe four together. 1. The eſtate that the Elect are naturally lying in for whom Chriſt undertakes, they are naturally under Sin; lyable to the curſe of God, for the tranſgreſſing of His Law; which had ſaid, The ſoul that ſins ſhall die, and curſ…d is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. 2. Add to this the ſuppoſition of Chriſt's undertaking to be the Elects Cautioner, and to ſatisfie for their Debt; whereby he ſteps into their room, takes on their Debt; And (as the word is 2 Cor. 5. ult. Becomes ſin for them.) Is content to be lyable to, and to be purſued by Juſtice for their Debt, and though here there be a relaxation in reſpect of the Perſons of the Elect for whom the Cautioner ſtands good, yet in reſpect of the Curſe and Death due to them, there is no relaxation; but the ſame thing due to them is laid on Him; as it is, Gal. 3. He hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us. In every thing He was put to pay the equivalent, for making up the Satisfaction due to Juſtice, and theſe two being put together, that Elect Sinners were obnoxious to Wrath, and that our Lord came in their Room, He behoved to be put to ſad and ſore Soul-ſuffering. 3. Conſider God's end in the Work of Redemption, which is to point out the inconceivableneſs of His wonderfully condeſcending Grace and Mercy, in exacting of ſatisfaction from the Cautioner, and in ſetting the Sinner free; that His Grace may be ſo Glorified, as their ſhall be a proof given of His Juſtice, and Soveraignity going along with it, and Infinit Wiſdom being ſet on Work to glorifi… infinit Grace and Juſtice; there is a nec…ſſity for the promoving of this end, that the Mediator ſhall thus ſatisfie, and the more full the Satisfaction be, the more conſpicuouſly do the Grace and Juſtice of God ſhine forth, and are Glorified, according to that word, Rom 3.26 To declare his righteouſn…ſs that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him that ſhall believe in Jeſus: This is the end of Chriſt's being made a Propitiation, that God may be manifeſted to be Spotleſſe and Pure in His Juſtice, as well as Free and Rich in His Mercy and Grace; who, having given a Law to Man, will not acquite the tranſgreſſion thereof, without a condigne Satisfaction. 4 Conſider that it is indeed a great thing to ſatisfie Juſtice for Sin; that it's more to ſatisfie Juſtice for all the Sins of one Perſon, which all the Angells in Heaven, and Men on Earth cannot do; and therefore the puniſhment of the Damned in Hell is drawn out to Eternities length, and yet there is never a Compleat Equivalent Satisfaction made to Juſtice; but it is moſt of all to ſatisfie Juſtice, for all the Sins of all the Elect; who, though they be few in compariſon of the Reprobat World, yet ſimply conſidered they are many; yea, even innumerable; And our Lord having taken all their Sins on Him, He is peremptorly required to ſatisfie for them all; And if this withall be added, that He is to ſatisfie for all the Sins of all the Elect at once, in a very ſhort time, and hath the Curſe and Wrath of God due to them, Muſtered and Marſhaled in Batallie againſt Him, and as it were in a great Body, in a moſt formidable manner, marching up towards Him, and ſeriouſly charging Him; and all the Wrath which they ſhould have drunken through all Eternity (which yet would never have been drunk out, nor made the leſs) put in one Cup, and propined to Him; as the Word is, Pſal. 110. He ſhall drink of the brook in the way: The Wrath of God running like an impetuous River, muſt be drunk up at once, and made dry by Him: Theſe being put together, do clearly, and convincingly ſhew, that it could not but be an inexpreſſible and inconceivable Soul-travell and Suffering, that our Lord Jeſus was put to.
The Uſe of this Doctrine is large, and the 1. Uſe is this, T…at ye would take it for a moſt certain Truth, which the Scriptures doth ſo Frequently and Significantly hold forth; That our Lord Jeſus, in performing the Work of Redemption, had much ſad Soul-travell and ſorrow; The Faith of this is very uſefull to demonſtrat the great love of God, and of the Mediator; For doubtleſs the more Suffering be undergone by the Mediator, the more love Kythes therein to the El…ct. 2. It ſerves to hold out the Soveraignity and Juſtice of God, and the horribleneſs of Sin. 3. In reſpect of God's People, it's uſefull, that they may be through, and clear in the Reality and Worth of Chriſt's Satisfaction; He having no other End in it, but to ſatisfie Juſtice for their Sin. 4. It's uſefull to ſhew the Vanity and Emptineſſe of Mens Suppoſed, and Fancied Merits, and of any thing that can be alleadged to be in Mans Suffering, or doing for the ſatisfying of Divine Juſtice; ſeing it drew ſo deep on Chriſt the Cautioner; And here two groſs Errours come to be Refuted, and Reprobated; One of the Socinians▪ who ſeek quite to overturn Chriſt's Satisfaction; And another of the Papiſts, that miniſh His Satisfaction; and Extenuat and Derogat from the great Priviledge of the Pardon of Sin, as if any thing could procure it, but this Satisfaction of Chriſt by His Soul-travell; both which are aboundantly refuted by this Text.
But to ſpeak a word more particularly to the First, For clearing of which ye will aſk; What could there be to affect the Holy Humane Soul of our Lord? Or what was that wherein His Soul-ſufferings did conſiſt? But before we ſpeak to this, we would premit this Word of Advertiſement in the entry, That there are two ſorts of Puniſhments, or Penal Effects of Sin; The 1. Sort are ſuch as are ſimply Penal and Satisfying, as proceeding from ſome extrinſick cauſe; The 2d. ſort are ſinfull; One Sin in the Righteous Judgement of God drawing on another; And this proceeds not ſimply from the nature of Juſtice, but from the nature of a meer ſinfull Creature▪ and ſo from an intrinſick cauſe of a Sinful Principle in the Creature: Now when we ſpeak of the Soul-ſufferings of Chriſt, which He was put to in Satisfying for the Sins of the Elect; We mean of the former, that is, Sufferings that are ſimply Penall; For there was no intrinſick Principle of Corrupt Nature, nor ground of Chal…enge in Him; as there is in Sinfull Creatures; And therefore we are to conceive of His Soul-ſufferings, as of ſome thing inflicted from without; and are not to conceive of them as we do of Sinfull Creatures, or that have Sin in them, whereof he was altogether free.
Having premitted this, we ſhall ſpeak a little to theſe two. 1. To that wherein this Soul-ſuffering did not conſiſt. 2. To that wherein it did conſiſt. For the former wherein it was not. 1. We are not to ſuppoſe, or imagine any actuall ſeparation betwixt His God-head, and His Man-head; as if there had been an interruption of the Perſonall Union; not ſo for the Union of the two Natures in one Perſon remains ſtill, He was God and Man ſtill, though, (as was hinted before) there was a Suſpenſion of ſuch a Meaſure, at leaſt of the ſenſibly Comforting Influence of the Divine Nature, from the Humane, as had wont to be let out thereto; And yet there was even then a ſuſtaining Power flowing from the God-head that Supported Him, ſo, that He was not ſwallowed up of that which would have quite, and for ever ſwallowed up all Creatures, as is evident in this crying, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Which ſhewes, that though the Union, and Relation ſtood firm, yet a comfortable Influence was much reſtrained. 2. There was no ſinfull Fretting, no Impatiencie, nor carnal Anxiety in our Lord, all along His Sufferings; for He did moſt willingly undergo them, and h…d a kindly ſubmiſſion in them all; As is evident by theſe Words But for this cauſe came I into this hour, And not my will but thy will be done. 3. There was not in H m any diſtruſt of Gods Love, nor any unbelief of His Approbation before God, neither any the leaſt D…ffidence, as to the Out-gate; For in the Sadeſt and Sharpeſt of all His Conflicts, He was clear about His Fathers Love to Him; that the Relation ſtood firm, and that there would be a Comfortable Out-gate, as His Prayer before ſhews, wherein He ſtyles God, Father, And theſe hardeſt like Words uttered by Him on the Croſs, My God, my God why haſt thou forſaken me▪ do alſo ſhew, wherein twice over He confidently aſ…rts His Intereſt, My God, my God, Though He was moſt terribly Aſſaulted, yet the Tentation did not prevaill over Him. 4. Neither are we to conceive, that there was any inward Confuſion, Challenge, or Gnawing of Conſcience in Him, ſuch as is in Deſperat Sinners caſt under the Wrath of God, Becauſe there was no inward cauſe of it, nor any thing that could breed it; yea, even in that wherein He was Cautioner, He was clear, that He was doing the Fathers will, and finiſhing the Work that was committed to Him; and that even under the greateſt Apprehenſions of Wrath; Therefore all ſuch things are to be guarded againſt, in our Thoughts, leaſt otherwayes, we reflect upon our Innocent and Spotleſs Mediator. But 2. To ſpeak a Word to that wherein it doth conſiſt? 1. It did conſiſt (as we hinted before) in the God-head's Suſpending it's Comfortable Influence for a time from the Humane Nature; Though our Lord had no Culpable Anxiety, yet He had a Sinleſſe Fear, conſidering Him as Man; and that the infinit God was Angry, and Executing Angryly the Sentence of the Law againſt Him, (Though He was not angry at Him conſidered as in Himſelf, but as He ſtood in the room of the Elect, as their Cautioner, of whom He was to exact the Payment of their Debt) and could not but be in a wonderfull amazment, as the Word is, Mark 14.33. He was ſore amazed, And Heb. 5.7. It's ſaid, when he had offe…ed up prayers, and ſupplications with ſtrong cryes and tears, unto him that was able to ſave him from death, he was heard in that which he feared. Which looks to His wreſtling in the Garden, 2. He had an inexpreſſible ſenſe of grief; not only from the petty outward Afflictions that He was under; (which may be called petty comparatively, though they were very great in themſelves) but alſo from the Torrent of Wrath flowing in, on His Soul; That Cup behoved to have a moſt bitter Reliſh, and an inconceivable Anguiſh with it, when He was a drinking of it, as appeared in His Agony. O! …s He was Pained and Pinched in His Soul? The Soul being eſpecially ſenſible of the Wrath of Go…. 3 It conſiſted in a ſort of wonderfull Horrour, which no queſtion, the marching up (to ſay ſo) of ſo many mighty Squadrons of the highly provoked Wrath of God; and making ſo Furious and Formidable an Aſſault on the Innocent Humane Nature of Chriſt (that conſidered ſimply in it's ſelf, was a finit Creature) behoved neceſſarily to be attended with; Hence He prayes, Father, if it be poſſible let this cup depart from me; Intimating, that there was a Sinleſs Loathneſs, and a holy Abhorrence to middle with it, and to adventure upon it. Though we have not Hearts rightly to conceive, nor Tongues ſuitable to expreſs thoſe moſt exquiſite Sufferings, yet theſe things ſhew, that our Lord Jeſus was exceedingly put to it in His Holy Humane Soul.
The 2, Uſe Serves to ſtir us up to wonder at the Love of God the Father, that gave His own Son, and exacted the Elect's Debt of Him; and made the Sword of His Juſtice to awake againſt Him; And to wonder at the Love of the Son, that ingadged to be ſurety for them; And humbled Himſelf ſo Low to lift them up; It was wonderfull that He ſhould ſtoup to become M…n, and to be a poor Man, and to die; but more, that He ſhould come this length, as to be in an Agony of Soul, and to be ſo toſſed with a Tempeſt of Terrible Wrath, though He was not capable of Toſſing as meer Creatures are: This being well conſidered, would highten exceedingly the praiſe of Grace in the Church; and very much warm the Hearts of Sinners to Him: And for preſſing this Uſe a little and for provocking to Holy Wondering at this Love; conſider theſe Four, 1. Who it was that ſuffered t…us? Even He that was without guile, He that was Gods delight, His Fathe…s Fellow▪ the expreſs image of his perſon, He th…t made all things, and who will one Day be Judge of all; I…'s even He that thus Suffered. 2. Wh…t He Suffered, even the Wrath of God, and the Wrath of God in ſuch a Degree and Meaſure as was equivalent to all that the Elect ſhould have Suffered Eternally in H…ll; which preſſeth forth from Him theſe expreſſions which we hinted at before. 3. For whom all this was, which makes it appear to be yet more wonderfull; It was for a number of loſt ſtraying ſheep, That were turned every one to his own way, as it is verſe 6. For Dyvours and debauched Bankerupts, that were Enemies to, and in Tops with Him; Some of them Spitting in His Face, ſome of them upon the Conſultation of taking away His Life, as may be gather…d from Acts 2. Yea, take the beſt of them, for whom He ſuffered; even thoſe whom He took to the Garden with Him, to be Witneſſes of His Agony; and we will find them ſleeping, when He is in the hight of it, and is thereby caſt into a Top Sweat of Blood; and out of Caſe to Watch, and bear Burden with H…m, but for an hour; It had been much for Him to have Suffered for Righteous Perſons; but as it is, Rom. 5. God commends his love to us in this, that while we were yet ſinners, Christ died for us. 5. The manner how He Suffered, to wit, moſt Willingly and Patiently; though He eaſily could h…ve commanded more then twelve legions of Angels to reſcue Him, yet He would not; but would needs be Apprehended by a number of Poor Worms; that will with many moe, one day craul at His Foot-ſtooll; That being the Over-word of every Article of the Covenant of Redemption on the Mediators part, both as to the undertaking, and the performance, I delight to do thy will, O my God: And now, for what End are all theſe things ſpoken? Is it think ye only, that we ſhould ſpeak, and that ye ſhould hear of them, and no more? Surely no, It's a wonder that this which concerns us ſo nearly, is not more affecti…g to us: Are there any here that have any hope of benefit from Chriſt's Sufferings; or that have win comfortably to apply them? do not ye behold a depth of Love here, that cannot be ſounded? Is it ſuitable, think ye, that Sinners, who have the hope of Heaven through Chriſt's Sufferings, ſhould be ſo little moved at the Hearing and Reading of them? He ſuffers much by Sinners, when His Love ſhining forth in His Sufferings is not taken notice of; I would poſe you, when was your heart ſuitably aff…cted with thinking on them? Or; when did ye make it an Errand to God, purpoſely to bleſſe Him for this, that He ſent His Son to Suffer, and that the Mediator came and Suffered ſuch things for you Sinners? This is a Part, and a conſiderable Part of your Duty; And Gratitude ſhould conſtrain you to it, and you ſhould not Minch, nor Derogat from the Ju… Eſteem of His Love, though, through your own Fault, ye be not ſure of your Intereſt in it, yet His condeſcending Grace is not the leſs.
Uſe 3. Behold here, as upon the one ſide, the exceeding ſeverity of Juſtice, and terribleneſs of Wrath; So upon the other ſide; The exceeding Abominableneſs, and Deſperatneſs of Sin; Would ye know what Sin is, what Wrath is, how Juſt and Severe the Law is? Read all theſe here; even in what is exacted by Juſtice, off the Cautioner for the Elect's Sins, the moſt part of Men and Women, alace! do not believe how evil and bitter a thing Sin is; and therefore they Dally and Play with it; They know not what Wrath is, and therefore they dar hazard on it; they know not how ſtrict the Law is, and therefore they promiſe themſelves Peace, Though they walk in the imagination of their own hearts; and add drunkenneſs to thirſt; But, O! ſecure Sinners, what mean ye? Have ye, or can ye have any hops, that God will deall more gently with you, then He dealt with His own Son, when He was but Cautioner, and the Sinner only by imputation? Ye are finit Creatures, and drink in Sin, as the ox drinks water, and havean inward Sinfull Principle, and an evil Conſcience, filled with juſt grounds of many Challenges, conſider with your ſelves, what a deſperat condition, under inevitable and intollerable Wrath ye have to look for; who have no ground to look otherwayes on God then as an Enemy; when Wrath was ſo ho…rible to Innocent Jeſus Chriſt, who had no Sin▪ no Challenge, no Doubt of an Intereſt in God, what will it be to you? Certainly the Day is coming, when many of you will think ye have greatly beguiled and cheated your ſelves, in thinking that Juſtice would be ſo eaſily ſatisfied as ye did: O! then ye will be made to know to your coaſt, the Nature of Wrath, and Juſtice; and the Nature of Sin; who would never ſuffer theſe things to Light before: The Caſe of the Rich Glutton in Hell may perſwade many, that the Law is ſtrick, and that Sin is an ill and bitter thing, and that Wrath is ſore to bide: Therefore let me intreat you, as ye would eſchew the Wrath of God, and the Laſh of His revenging Juſtice, bewar of Sin, dally not with it, as ye would not have it aggravated by this Circumſtance, above many, that ye hazarded to commit it, upon the conſideration of God's Goodneſs; that in Reaſon ſhould have led you to Repentance.
Uſe 4. See here the abſolute neceſſity that lyes on Sinners, who hear this Goſpel, to receive Chriſt by Faith; and to improve His Satisfaction for obtaining of Life through Him; For one of theſe two muſt be reſolved on, either to come to this Reckoning with Juſtice your ſelves, or to endeavour the removal of Wrath, by the Satisfaction of Chriſt; their being no other way to come to freedom from Guilt, and from the Wrath that Guilt draws on: That Chriſt Jeſus Suffered thus, as Sinners Cautioner, it ſays, that where ever Sin is, God will exact ſatisfaction; and where He exacts, He does it Severely, though moſt Juſtly; and if He exact it Severely of the Cautioner, what will He do with the Dyvour Debtor, eſpecially, when He hath ſlighted the Cautioner, and deſpiſed the Grace offered through Him? And therefore not only, in reſpect of the ommand, but of the Conſequent that will follow the Diſobedience of it: Be txhorted, if ye mind not to take your hazard of Wrath, to endeavour, in God's way to get your Intereſt in this Satisfaction which the Cautioner hath made well ſecured: Ther is here a ſolid ground for Faith, to expect that this Satisfaction will do the turn, of all them who will make uſe of it; And a moſt preſſing Motive to ingadge them that are lying under Sin, to embrace, to cloſe with, and to reſt upon this Offered Salvation; That, this Grace be not received in vain; Is there not a Teſtimony in your Conſciences of the Former, and why do ye not make uſe of the Latter? Will ye but once be prevailed with, to put your ſelves to it thus, What if I be made to Reckon for my own Sins? What horrid Wrath will I meet with, when the Mediator had ſuch ſore Soul-travel; even when there was a Covenant-relation ſtanding ſtill, not doubted of, betwixt …he Father and Him; when formidable Wrath ſhall be ſeen palp…bly purſuing me, the Sinner, having no Covenant-relation to ſupport me? We would not put it …o your choiſe; Not whether ye will count or not; for that muſt be, and ſhall be, whether ye Chooſe or Refuſe; It's appointed for all men once to die, and after to come to judgement; And we muſt all appear before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt; But that which we would put to your Choiſe, is the ways of coming to this Judgement, and Reckoning, and there are but two wayes; either ye muſt ſtep to, at your own hand, or ye muſt betake you to Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, as being throughly convinced of the neceſſity of it; and that it will do your turn: The Day of the Lord will diſcover, that many have ſpoken of their Faith, and Repentance, that never really exerciſed the ſame. I ſhall now ſay no more, Only remember, that it's a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God; who, when His Wrath is kindled but a little, can cauſe the ſtouteſt and proudeſt of His Enemies to periſh, in the midſt of all their Deſigns and Projects; They will all then be found to be happy who have put their truſt in Him.